making culinary and travel passions an everyday reality

Menu

Pan-Seared John Dory

“Do you want skate again or John Dory?” I asked Kyle. “John what? Isn’t that a restaurant?” was his response. My choice was obvious.
No, we weren’t eating at April Bloomfield’s oyster bar of the same name at the Ace Hotel. Instead, I was cooking John Dory since (a) I’ve never made it before, (b) it was $14.99/lb – about $10 for the 2 of us (about the same price as the skate), and (c) Kyle clearly had never had it before, which needed to be remedied.

Also known as St. Peter’s fish, it has a mild flavor and seems to be popular in the UK, at least with Jamie Oliver. But you’ll rarely see John Dory on US menus – it’s not even an option at John Dory Oyster Bar. Except for fish & chips or battered with a lemon-butter sauce, you won’t find many recipes even on the web. I figured that since the fillets were thickly cut, it could withstand pan-searing without the breading. And I was right. Since I had some heirloom cherry tomatoes and asparagus that needed to be used, I made a tomato and leek topping that wouldn’t completely overpower the fish and a side of roasted asparagus. Sweet potatoes that had seen better days were turned into a savory mash with five spice powder, sour cream and scallions. They plated well, even if it wasn’t the best compliment to the fish. I’d rather use what ingredients are on hand than let them go to waste and do a little experimenting. Next time I might try it with a more traditional lemon butter sauce. Hopefully this quick recipe and the pics will inspire you to give this fish a try – if you’re lucky enough to find it.